From 1980s Hong Kong to Your Kitchen: A Night Market Vegan Menu

Bring late-night Hong Kong to your Shoreditch-style dinner party — without the guesswork

Craving a reliable, show-stopping vegan party menu that tastes like street food and runs like a well-oiled kitchen? You’re not alone. Home cooks and hosts tell us the same pain points: finding vegan small plates that actually work, building a balanced, protein-forward tasting menu, and pulling off neon-soaked, late-night vibes without chaotic timing. This guide gives you a complete, plant-based night market tasting menu — snacks, small plates and cocktails — inspired by Bun House Disco’s 1980s Hong Kong energy and Shoreditch’s neon edge, with practical recipes, make-ahead tricks and 2026-forward sourcing tips.

The concept: What makes a night-market tasting menu sing in 2026

At its best, a night-market menu is bold, shareable and rapid-fire: salty-sour-umami contrasts, crunchy textures, handheld bites and strong drinks. For 2026 hosts, that also means sustainability, seasonal produce and a touch of culinary theater. Think neon signage, disposable-style plates that aren’t single-use trash, and cocktails that nod to Asian flavors — like the now-iconic pandan negroni.

“Late-night 1980s Hong Kong was all neon and after-hours energy — translate that to your table with bright flavors, sticky-glazed bites and one killer pandan cocktail.”

Quick menu — Night Market Vegan Tasting Menu (for 6–8 guests)

• Welcome sip: Pandan Negroni (or pandan mocktail)
• Snack station (shared): Crispy lotus root chips; pickled cucumber ribbons; sesame peanuts
• Small plate 1: Mini bao with char siu king oyster mushrooms
• Small plate 2: Curry “fish” balls using oyster mushrooms + sweet-spicy sauce
• Small plate 3: Rice noodle rolls (cheung fun) with shiitake XO-style dressing
• Small plate 4: Salt & pepper tofu with lime sambal
• Greens: Garlic-blistered gai lan with toasted garlic oil
• Dessert: Vegan pandan custard tartlets (pandan twist on the egg tart)
• Late-night sip: Yuzu soda or pandan negroni round two

Signature cocktail: Pandan Negroni (Bun House Disco inspired)

Why it works: pandan provides that unmistakable south-Asian aroma that pairs beautifully with rice-based spirits; the drink is visually neon-green and reads perfectly under colored lighting.

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 25 ml pandan-infused rice gin (see method)
• 15 ml white vermouth
• 15 ml green Chartreuse (or a herbal amaro to taste)

Pandan gin (make ahead)

1. 10 g fresh pandan leaf, green parts only, roughly chopped
2. 175 ml rice gin
3. Blitz pandan and gin briefly in a blender. Strain through muslin or a fine sieve into a clean bottle. Infuse 6–12 hours in the fridge for vibrant colour and fragrant aroma. Keeps 2–3 weeks chilled.

Method

1. Measure and pour the pandan gin, vermouth and Chartreuse into a mixing glass with ice.
2. Stir until well chilled (20–30 seconds). Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
3. Garnish with a thin pandan leaf or an orange twist if you want contrast.

Mocktail option: Replace gin with pandan syrup + rice soda; replace Chartreuse with a bitter herbal tonic. Add a splash of white grape juice for body.

Small plates & snacks — tested recipes and timings

Below are signature recipes with timing cues so you can run this menu from a home kitchen without stress.

Mini bao with char siu king oyster mushrooms (serves 6–8)

Why this works

Steamed buns are nostalgic, hand-held and easy to eat while mingling. King oyster mushrooms shred into meaty ribbons and soak up char siu-style glaze.

Ingredients

• 12 small bao buns (store-bought or make ahead)
• 6 king oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise into ribbons
• 3 tbsp hoisin
• 1 tbsp dark soy
• 1 tbsp maple or brown sugar
• 2 tsp five-spice powder
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• Pickled cucumber ribbons, spring onion and sesame to finish

Method

1. Whisk hoisin, dark soy, sugar, five-spice and sesame oil into a glaze. Toss mushroom ribbons to coat.
2. Pan-fry on high heat until edges caramelize (6–8 minutes). Baste with glaze in the final minute.
3. Steam or warm bao per packet instructions. Assemble with mushrooms, pickles and spring onion.

Make-ahead tip: mushrooms can be made 1 day ahead and reheated in a hot pan to re-crisp edges.

Curry “fish” balls — oyster mushroom version (30 mins)

Why this works

Fish balls are iconic to Hong Kong night stalls. Here, oyster mushrooms mimic chew and absorb curry sauce — a crowd-pleaser with neon-kitsch appeal.

Ingredients

• 400 g oyster mushrooms, finely chopped or pulsed
• 1 small mashed potato or 50 g cooked tapioca starch (binder)
• 1 tbsp miso (for umami)
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• For curry sauce: 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 onion, 200 ml coconut milk, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp sugar

Method

1. Pulse mushrooms to a coarse mince. Combine with mashed potato/tapioca, miso, seasoning. Form into small balls.
2. Pan-fry or shallow-fry until golden. Remove and set aside.
3. Sauté onion, add curry powder, tomato paste, coconut milk and simmer 5–8 minutes. Fold in balls to coat and simmer 2 minutes.

Serve with little wooden skewers. Make-ahead: balls can be formed up to a day ahead and refrigerated.

Rice noodle rolls (cheung fun) with shiitake XO-style dressing

If making cheung fun from scratch sounds daunting, buy fresh rice noodle rolls from an Asian grocer and reheat gently in a steamer. The XO-style dressing — shiitake, garlic, chilli, and fermented bean — brings street-level flavor.

XO-style dressing

• 6 shiitake caps, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, 1 small red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fermented soybean paste or store-bought XO sauce (vegan)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1. Heat oil, fry garlic, chilli and shiitake until golden. Stir in XO paste and finish with sesame oil.
2. Dress warmed rice rolls and garnish with spring onion and toasted sesame.

Salt & pepper tofu with lime sambal

Crunchy exterior, pillowy centre. Pair with a zesty lime sambal (chilli, lime, sugar, shallot) for brightness.

Method

1. Press tofu, cut into cubes. Coat in cornstarch and deep or shallow fry until crisp.
2. Toss hot tofu with salt, white pepper and chopped fried garlic. Serve with lime sambal.

Dessert: Vegan pandan custard tartlets (nostalgic & neon-green)

These riff on the classic Hong Kong egg tart. Use a coconut-silk mixture with pandan for aroma and colour.

Quick formula

• Shortcrust tart shells (store-bought or homemade)
• 250 ml coconut cream + 150 ml silken tofu, blended smooth
• 40–60 g sugar to taste, 1 tbsp pandan paste or pandan-infused coconut
• 2 tsp cornflour to help set

1. Blend coconut cream, silken tofu, sugar, pandan and cornflour. Strain if silky texture desired.
2. Fill tart shells and bake 15–18 minutes at 170°C until just set. Cool before serving.

Plating, pacing and portioning — how to run the night

Think of this menu like a DJ set: build tension, drop peak flavors, then bring things down sweetly.

• Welcome (0–15 min): Serve pandan negroni and snack station so guests can mingle.
• Wave 1 (15–40 min): Mini bao and salt & pepper tofu — easy handhelds while people talk.
• Wave 2 (40–70 min): Curry balls and cheung fun as the ‘main’ small plates — shareable and saucy.
• Finale (70–90 min): Gai lan as a palate cleanser and dessert tartlets, then a final drink.

Portion guide: for an 8-course tasting serving 6–8, plan 1–2 pieces per person for heavy bites (bao, balls), 2–3 pieces for lighter snacks (chips, pickles), and one tartlet per guest.

Make-ahead checklist & kitchen timeline

Key to stress-free entertaining is staging: cook what you can in advance, and finish crisp textures at the last minute.

48–24 hours before

• Infuse pandan gin (or make pandan syrup for mocktails).
• Make XO-style dressing and lime sambal; refrigerate.
• Form curry balls and refrigerate.
• Prepare tart custard and blind-bake shells if making from scratch.

On the day

• Cook char siu mushrooms and reheat before service.
• Fry tofu closes to service time and keep warm on a rack in a low oven (100–120°C) for no more than 10–15 minutes.
• Set snack station and chill glassware for cocktails.

Shopping & equipment — practical 2026 sourcing tips

By 2026, specialty ingredients like pandan paste, rice gin and vegan XO sauces are widely available online and in independent Asian grocers. Look for:

• Rice gin or a dry Asian-style gin — several craft distilleries in the UK and US added rice gin to lines in 2024–2025.
• Fresh pandan leaves (frozen packs are common) or pandan paste for consistent color.
• Vegan XO or fermented bean pastes — check small-batch producers for cleaner labels.
• King oyster and oyster mushrooms — firm texture perfect for shredding.

Equipment: a steamer, a heavy pan, a blender (for pandan infusion and custard), and a large platter for the snack station.

Nutrition & protein notes — balancing a plant-based night market menu

Hosts worry about protein and balance when building vegan menus. This night market menu combines multiple protein-dense sources across small plates: tofu, mushrooms (which are valuable for texture and minerals), seitan or store-bought vegan char siu where used, and legumes if you add a side dish like edamame or a soy-peanut salad.

• Seitan (if used) provides roughly 20–25 g protein per 100 g.
• Firm tofu typically provides 8–12 g protein per 100 g.
• Tempeh is a great add-on (18–20 g/100 g) — consider a quick tempeh satay if you want an extra protein-rich skewer.

Pairings: use sesame, peanuts and fermented soy to amplify umami and micro-nutrients — just signal allergens to guests in advance.

2026 trends & future predictions — what’s shaping night-market dining now

Heading into 2026, several developments matter for hosts and recipe writers:

• Pandan and regional botanicals moved from niche to mainstream in cocktail culture in late 2024–2025. Expect pandan-spiked spirits and syrups in more bars through 2026.
• Rice-based spirits (rice gin, rice vodka) have scaled as craft distillers pursue terroir-driven products — they pair particularly well with Asian-inspired cocktails.
• Plant-based seafood alternatives became increasingly credible in 2025; look for oyster-mushroom fishballs and heart-of-palm 'calamari' innovations in 2026.
• Experience-first dinner parties are trending: hosts invest in themed lighting, curated playlists from the era (1980s Hong Kong pop and synthwave) and tactile serviceware that evokes street-food authenticity without waste. For hosts organising small events or local promotions, the pop-up media kits and micro-event playbook is a useful reference.

Advanced hosting strategies — elevate shoreditch neon energy at home

Want to push the aesthetic and keep prep minimal? Try these pro tips:

• Use strip LED lights under serving boards to create neon edges; choose green or magenta gels to echo Hong Kong neon. For guidance on lighting and ambience, see why circadian lighting and ambience are now conversion drivers.
• Serve a few dishes in mini takeout boxes or skewered on bamboo — they’re nostalgic and reduce plate washing.
• Create a “late-night” snack bar for second acts: quick-fry leftover bao or roll rice noodle snacks in warmed sesame oil and sprinkle with XO crumbs.
• Pair songs strategically: open with 80s Cantopop remixes and move into modern electronic beats as the night progresses.

Actionable takeaways — what to do this week

• Make your kitchen timeline and test the key timing cues — mise en place keeps the night calm.
• Choose two “hero” savory dishes to focus on (we recommend char siu mushrooms and curry balls) and prep them ahead.
• Set up a snack station for guests to graze; it lowers the pressure on timing and keeps the vibe social.
• Stock a mocktail pandan base so non-drinkers get the same aromatic experience.

Final notes & responsible hosting

Bring the neon without the waste: prefer compostable plates, offer clearly labeled dishes for allergens, and source local mushrooms and greens to reduce your menu’s carbon footprint. If you’re near Shoreditch or another city hub, small-batch producers and distilleries will have specialty rice gin and pandan products — support them.

Ready to throw your Bun House Disco–inspired night?

Take the recipes above, pick a playlist, and pick one production day to do your heavy lifting. Your guests will remember the neon cocktails, sticky char siu mushrooms and the way the room smelled of pandan and fried garlic. That’s the late-night Hong Kong magic — served Shoreditch-style.

Try this first: infuse pandan gin tonight and make the char siu mushrooms tomorrow. Test the pandan negroni on a friend and refine bitterness levels — then you’re set.

Call to action

Want printable shopping lists, a timed prep schedule, or a downloadable playlist for a Bun House Disco dinner? Click through to grab our free party pack — and tag us @veganfood.live with photos of your neon night. We’ll feature the best setups and share pro tips for your next event.

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